Gu Zhan sat frozen in shock for a long while.

Fu Hongping’s reaction was the last thing he had expected.

Not only had the man not looked at him with prejudice, not only had he not angrily tried to separate them—he seemed downright delighted to accept them.

Seeing the usually composed and stoic and unshakeable President Gu looking so stunned, Fu Yan found it amusing.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, is it?”

Gu Zhan shot him a glare.

“Why am I the daughter-in-law? If we’re going to put it that way, then I’d obviously be the son-in-law.”

Fu Yan wasn’t one for arguing over words.

In fact, he rather enjoyed giving in to Gu Zhan on things like this.

He squeezed Gu Zhan’s hand.

“That’s fine too.”

His gentle tone even carried a trace of indulgent affection.

Gu Zhan glanced at him, then quickly looked away.

Because Fu Yan’s expression—his slight smile, his barely hidden happiness and brightness—was something Gu Zhan had never seen before.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

He is thirty years old now.

But he had only truly come to terms with his sexuality four years ago.

As a child, Gu Zhan had been solitary and withdrawn, preferring to keep to himself.

Only after founding his company and entering the business world had he forced himself to become articulate and socially skilled—able to say the right thing to anyone.

He had to change himself.

He had to push himself into doing things he didn’t naturally enjoy.

Because he knew that in this world, if he didn’t actively fight for something, it would never come to him on its own.

That naturally reserved personality meant he had little contact with girls during adolescence.

And as a top student, all his energy went into academics anyway.

Romance simply didn’t interest him.

Then came university.

He started a business with several classmates.

Among them was an older female student who had secretly loved him for years.

She stayed by his side through the hard times.

She watched Slungshot grow from a dark basement startup into a company housed in gleaming office towers.

When Gu Zhan was twenty-six, she confessed her feelings.

Around that same time, his mother had begun occasionally asking why he’d never dated anyone.

Gu Zhan didn’t dislike the woman.

He simply didn’t feel particularly strongly either way.

At the time, he thought perhaps he had always been indifferent to romance and attraction.

Maybe this was just how he was.

So he accepted her confession.

They became a couple.

He assumed it was simply the natural progression of life.

People reached a certain age.

They dated.

Moved in together.

Bought a home.

Everything seemed headed toward a happy ending.

Instead, it became an exclamation point that completely overturned his life.

He discovered that the beautiful female body stirred absolutely nothing within him.

But a man’s body?

That was different.

That awakened something deep inside him.

The relationship ended immediately.

The woman resented him, hated him even.

But she also knew that hating him wouldn’t solve anything.

She resigned from Slungshot after six years with the company.

Cutting away six years of effort in one stroke, she left for graduate studies overseas.

After that, Gu Zhan never heard from her again.

He fell into a difficult period emotionally.

Partly because he felt overwhelming guilt toward her.

Partly because he had no idea what his own future looked like anymore.

So he buried himself.

Numbed himself.

Locked those questions away.

He devoted everything to work.

Long days.

Long nights.

Relentless effort.

Perhaps because of that obsessive dedication, while his love life failed, his career flourished.

Slungshot achieved its greatest success since its founding and secured a place among China's major e-commerce companies.

Gu Zhan eventually achieved his ambitions.

He became the admired President Gu.

By day, successful and glamorous.

By night, wrapped in that polished exterior, drifting through fleeting encounters and casual relationships.

Trying to use physical pleasure to fill emotional emptiness.

Even now, he had never seriously imagined marrying a man.

Very few people knew he was gay.

Only a handful of close acquaintances.

His mother still dreamed of gaining a daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

And he had no idea how to explain any of this to her.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

As Fu Yan drove them farther from the city, confidence radiated from his face.

Meanwhile, Gu Zhan had no idea where he was headed.

What exactly was he doing?

They had only known each other for a few months.

Last night they had discussed whether to become friends with benefits.

Today they were meeting the parents?

This was absurd.

Ridiculous.

Why hadn't Fu Yan explained things properly to his father?

Then again...

How could he?

What was he supposed to say?

"We're just sleeping together. It's casual."

That explanation might have been worse than none at all.

Maybe he never should have agreed to meet Fu Hongping.

The situation was neither proper nor clearly defined.

It only complicates things.

But he was already sitting in Fu Yan’s car.

Backing out now would make him look immature and unreliable.

How would Fu Hongping view him after that?

Slungshot was still a small company.

Getting entangled with a giant like the Fu Group could be either a blessing or a disaster.

The Fu Group dominated entire industries and had absorbed countless promising smaller companies over the years.

Whenever Gu Zhan entered a business partnership, he conducted exhaustive risk assessments.

And now?

He had become connected to the Fu family in the most unexpected way possible.

Slungshot was his life's work.

No matter what happened, he absolutely refused to watch his own “child” end up calling someone else “Dad.”

“Damn it.”

He ran a hand through the back of his hair.

Another curse escaped him.

Fu Yan glanced over while driving.

“What’s with all the swearing today?”

Then, with a grin:

“Nervous about meeting your in-laws?”

Gu Zhan buried his face in one hand.

Seeing how tense he was, Fu Yan leaned closer and deliberately lowered his voice.

“Save that kind of language for bed.”

“I’d enjoy it a lot.”

Gu Zhan rolled his eyes.

He was in no mood for flirting.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Fu Yan’s grandmother lived on a countryside estate.

The area was famous for its scenery.

The Fu Group had developed a vacation resort there and specifically reserved a section of land for family use.

After Fu Yan’s grandfather passed away, his grandmother moved from northeastern China to live closer to the family.

When they arrived, Fu Hongping and the others were already there.

The three elders sat in the courtyard enjoying the sunshine and chatting happily.

Trying to remain composed, Gu Zhan followed Fu Yan inside and greeted them politely.

“Chairman Fu.”

Fu Hongping immediately rose from his chair, beaming.

“Gu Zhan, you're here! Why are you still calling me Chairman Fu? That's so formal.”

“Oh my, this must be Gu Zhan!”

A graceful woman approached warmly.

“I've seen your photos in magazines. You're even more handsome in person.”

She appeared to be nearing fifty, but was exceptionally well maintained.

Tall and slender, dressed in a simple qipao.

There was a clear resemblance between her and Fu Yan.

Her voice was soft and gentle, naturally putting people at ease.

Since Fu Yan’s mother was being so friendly, Gu Zhan knew being stiff would only seem distant.

“Hello, Auntie. Fu Yan was introducing you to me while we walked over. But honestly, I couldn't figure out which person in the courtyard you were. You look far too young to be his mother. You seem more like an elegant and charming older sister.”

Lin Lan covered her mouth and laughed.

“Listen to him. His mouth is sweeter than honey.”

Everyone laughed.

Then Gu Zhan greeted Fu Yan’s grandmother.

The elderly woman was nearly eighty.

Still healthy enough, though her hearing and eyesight had deteriorated significantly.

Despite everyone taking turns introducing Gu Zhan, she simply smiled and held his hand while examining him.

“My little Yan has excellent taste.”

She nodded approvingly.

“Look at this girl. Fair skin, tall, and beautiful.”

Fu Yan looked embarrassed.

So did his parents.

But Gu Zhan was a master at easing awkward situations.

Laughing openly, he replied:

“Grandma, I have good taste too. A man like Fu Yan is hard to find even if you search with a lantern.”

“Hm?”

The old woman muttered to herself.

“Just a bit of a deep voice for a girl.”

The courtyard erupted in laughter again.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

The lunch was a feast of delicious country dishes.

Though rough around the edges, Fu Hongping was surprisingly attentive.

He peeled shrimp for both women at the table.

Lin Lan smiled and said to Gu Zhan:

“That's why people say you should marry a northeastern man. They're the most considerate.”

Fu Yan instantly caught the hint his parents were dropping.

So he quietly began peeling shrimp for Gu Zhan too.

Gu Zhan nearly turned red.

Aside from his mother, no one had ever taken care of him like this.

But with Fu Yan’s parents being so enthusiastic, refusing would only embarrass them.

Lin Lan casually asked:

“Gu Zhan, can you cook?”

“Not really.”

Actually, he was quite capable in the kitchen.

Growing up independent had forced him to learn.

But he wasn't entirely comfortable with the obvious approval shining in the Fu family's eyes.

He still hadn't figured out what exactly this visit meant.

Until he understood his own feelings, he didn't want to encourage anyone's expectations.

To his surprise, Lin Lan looked delighted.

“Perfect! Yan cooks pretty well. He can cook for you in the future.”

Leaning over, Fu Yan whispered:

“I made the stir-fried yam today. Try it.”

Gu Zhan took a bite.

“Well?” Lin Lan asked eagerly.

“It’s good. Very good”

He nodded.

Fu Yan watched him quietly.

A smile unconsciously appeared at the corners of his lips.

Like many mothers, Lin Lan enjoyed embarrassing her son.

Especially since this was the first time in years that Fu Yan had brought someone home.

Her excitement was impossible to hide.

“Let me tell you, when he was little, he couldn't do anything. Everything was handed to him. Then at eighteen, he got into a fight with his father and ran off to Africa to volunteer as a teacher. Came back tanned black as charcoal. He'd call me crying and ask how to make sweet-and-sour ribs. How to make shredded pork. He was always running away from home whenever he got upset.”

Fu Yan coughed twice.

Giving his mother a look that clearly said:

Please spare me.

“Hahaha!”

Gu Zhan glanced at him, wheezing.

Imagining the polished and dignified President Fu as a dark-skinned teenager crying into the phone made him laugh out loud.

At that moment, the housekeeper whispered something into Fu Hongping’s ear.

Fu Hongping immediately raised his voice.

“No need to prepare Xiao Yan’s room. He won't be staying there tonight.”

Lin Lan immediately understood.

The housekeeper had been asking how many guest rooms to prepare.

Smiling knowingly, she instructed:

“Just prepare our room.”

Fu Yan blinked in confusion.

Normally, whenever they visited Grandma, they stayed overnight.

The scenery was beautiful, especially the stars.

He had planned to take Gu Zhan sightseeing later.

Why wasn't his room being prepared?

Where exactly were they sleeping?

Fu Hongping tilted his head toward a nearby oak grove.

Among the trees sat several glass-domed stargazing cabins.

They were a local attraction.

Tourists came specifically to spend a night beneath the stars.

Reservations were booked out well into next year.

“The one at the top of the hill belongs to our family.”

Fu Hongping shot his son a meaningful look.

“No one's ever stayed there before.”

“You two can have it tonight.”

Then he added:

“Don't worry. Nobody can see inside.”

“It's soundproof and vacuum-insulated.”

“Go do whatever you want.”

The image of Fu Hongping catching them in the stairwell the previous night immediately resurfaced in Gu Zhan’s mind.

His embarrassment returned in full force.

Lin Lan shot her husband a look and quickly corrected him.

“What your father means is that you've both been working so hard. Since you're finally out in the countryside, relax and enjoy yourselves.”

Then she turned gently to Gu Zhan.

“You don't mind sharing a room with Xiao Yan, do you?”

Gu Zhan felt shocked.

Embarrassed.

And completely at a loss.

Fu Yan’s parents weren't merely encouraging the relationship anymore.

They genuinely seemed to regard him as the Fu family's future in-law.

They treated him warmly.

Considerately.

Thoughtfully.

As if he already belonged.

As a thirty-year-old man, Gu Zhan neither needed nor was accustomed to being looked after like this.

And he certainly wasn't annoyed.

If he had to describe his feelings with a single phrase—

He was overwhelmed by the kindness.

The warmth of the Fu family.

The affection Fu Yan’s parents had for their son.

And the way that affection naturally extended to him.

All of it felt unfamiliar.

Almost unreal.

The admiration and care they showed him were genuine.

Yet he still couldn't bring himself to reach out and accept them.

Throughout the day, he found himself caught between the warmth of family and the politeness of social obligation.

For the first time in his life, all the interpersonal skills he had spent years mastering felt inadequate.

After a brief pause, he smiled politely.

“If Fu Yan doesn't mind, then neither do I.”

“Haha! Then it's settled.”

Fu Hongping and Lin Lan exchanged delighted looks.

Their eyes repeatedly drifted between the two men.

Filled with the unmistakable expression of:

We know exactly what's going on.

The corner of Gu Zhan’s mouth twitched upward.

These parents were simply too adorable.